Knowing how to react to a resignation
22 January 2010
Read by 4649 persons
Like recruitment, resignation is common in a company's life, but it can sometimes create discomfort. It's difficult to keep someone who wants to leave. It's better to part on good terms. Before departure, an interview is useful to identify the reasons for the resignation.
"With my former manager, the relationship was always good. But it deteriorated after my resignation. Since then, he no longer speaks to me and even avoids me when we meet in professional meetings," says Fouad B., 31, sales executive.
For many bosses, a resignation is difficult to digest, especially if it concerns a pillar of the company. "It must be understood that managers often have the unfortunate tendency to be caught off guard. Being informed at the last minute, finding a replacement and supervising them, no longer being able to retain former employees... In the long run, all these problems become difficult to manage," emphasizes Karim El Ibrahimi, CEO of RMS firm.
And yet, a resignation is a perfectly normal act in a company's life, just like recruitment. It is a crisis situation that must be managed with skill. The best thing is to anticipate. Certain behaviors can raise a red flag. Lack of motivation or involvement, sloppy work, recurring absences, a CV lying around on the desk, visits to recruitment websites are all clues that should raise awareness. Other factors are at the origin of resignations.
Thus, a manager must remain attentive to the fact that the responsibilities of certain collaborators have not or have little evolved in recent years. Similarly, frequent turnover within the company should concern the manager. This is why it is essential that he listens to his collaborators: the better he knows them, the more sensitive he will be to a change in their behavior or work.
If the decision has been announced, the manager must schedule an interview to find out the reasons for the departure. Ignoring it or stubbornly refusing to receive the person concerned is completely absurd. Some even have a disagreeable attitude towards their collaborators. This is why employees about to leave prefer to keep their decision secret until the end for fear of being quickly dismissed or isolated before the other commitment comes to fruition.
For Abdelillah Jennane, executive director of the Diorh-IRH firm, "the manager must assess the reason for such a choice. Is it a real departure or is it linked to dissatisfaction or discomfort?" By acting on the cause, the manager has every chance of rectifying the situation.
M. El Ibrahimi adds that "exit interviews are often important moments to take stock of the person but also of the company, to learn a lot about the organization and any dysfunctions." Same opinion from Mr. Jennane who adds that it is also an opportunity to review the departing employee's career in the company and to make him aware of what he has learned and how he has evolved since the day he was recruited.
Ideally, a colleague and not the direct superior should conduct the interview. Mr. El Ibrahimi confirms the importance of not involving the direct superior in the interview. "This approach allows the resigning employee to express themselves freely, something they cannot do normally for fear of being misunderstood or judged. This is essential if we want the interview to lead to interesting things."
In any case, the interview should not turn into a settling of scores. A business leader recounts being shocked by the harsh criticism an employee made of her. "She was a model employee. I thought she wanted to leave us for a better situation.
But no! During an interview to which I had invited her, she reproached me for my bad temper and explained that she could no longer bear my constant harassment." The surprise effect should not lead the manager to make mistakes. It is nevertheless a matter of controlling one's emotions, without betraying one's disappointment, even if the collaborator is a good asset.
It is necessary to ensure the handover between the departing employee and his successor
Generally, the manager is faced with two scenarios. In the first, he does not want to let the resigning employee go. The interview will precisely make it possible to discover the levers on which to work. Does he want to leave for a better salary? Try as much as possible to grant him a raise, a bonus or benefits in kind. Just as one can also consider a promotion if one cannot increase the salary. However, Mr. El Ibrahimi advises not to open this door to everyone, knowing that there are those who aim for a salary increase by brandishing the threat of resignation. "It is during interviews that everything must be defined," he advises.
If it is a relational problem, the manager must plan to reorganize the collaborator's tasks so that he does not have to work with difficult people. Second scenario: the departure is an opportunity for the manager to get rid of a troublesome element. However, discretion must be shown and the collaborator must be shown that the decision is his. If the separation is effective, it must be done smoothly. The manager must ensure, preferably within a short period, the effective transmission of information, files, contacts and know-how of the resigning employee to his replacement or, failing that, to the rest of the team.
Negotiating the notice period, the duration of which is most often determined by labor law or by the employment contract, can prove decisive in managing this transition period.
But be careful! In most cases, the employment contract provides for a notice period of a certain duration, often limited to two months.
It may also include a non-compete clause, which means that it is not possible for the departing employee to join a company that carries out similar activity. These legal provisions must be well managed to avoid any problems. It must be emphasized that the courts rarely rule in favor of employers in the event of a dispute.
Another important point: the manager must make the collaborator's departure public. Poorly managed communication can destabilize the team. Why is such a colleague leaving? Who will replace him? Ideally, this should be announced during daily or weekly meetings.
Finally, if it is a pillar or a veteran of the company, a farewell ceremony would be welcome, generally in an informal setting or in the presence of all the staff. An opportunity to pay tribute to him and to show him that his departure will not affect the relationships. No hard feelings!
Brahim Habriche
Posted online on September 1, 2008
lavieeco.com
"With my former manager, the relationship was always good. But it deteriorated after my resignation. Since then, he no longer speaks to me and even avoids me when we meet in professional meetings," says Fouad B., 31, sales executive.
For many bosses, a resignation is difficult to digest, especially if it concerns a pillar of the company. "It must be understood that managers often have the unfortunate tendency to be caught off guard. Being informed at the last minute, finding a replacement and supervising them, no longer being able to retain former employees... In the long run, all these problems become difficult to manage," emphasizes Karim El Ibrahimi, CEO of RMS firm.
And yet, a resignation is a perfectly normal act in a company's life, just like recruitment. It is a crisis situation that must be managed with skill. The best thing is to anticipate. Certain behaviors can raise a red flag. Lack of motivation or involvement, sloppy work, recurring absences, a CV lying around on the desk, visits to recruitment websites are all clues that should raise awareness. Other factors are at the origin of resignations.
Thus, a manager must remain attentive to the fact that the responsibilities of certain collaborators have not or have little evolved in recent years. Similarly, frequent turnover within the company should concern the manager. This is why it is essential that he listens to his collaborators: the better he knows them, the more sensitive he will be to a change in their behavior or work.
If the decision has been announced, the manager must schedule an interview to find out the reasons for the departure. Ignoring it or stubbornly refusing to receive the person concerned is completely absurd. Some even have a disagreeable attitude towards their collaborators. This is why employees about to leave prefer to keep their decision secret until the end for fear of being quickly dismissed or isolated before the other commitment comes to fruition.
For Abdelillah Jennane, executive director of the Diorh-IRH firm, "the manager must assess the reason for such a choice. Is it a real departure or is it linked to dissatisfaction or discomfort?" By acting on the cause, the manager has every chance of rectifying the situation.
M. El Ibrahimi adds that "exit interviews are often important moments to take stock of the person but also of the company, to learn a lot about the organization and any dysfunctions." Same opinion from Mr. Jennane who adds that it is also an opportunity to review the departing employee's career in the company and to make him aware of what he has learned and how he has evolved since the day he was recruited.
Ideally, a colleague and not the direct superior should conduct the interview. Mr. El Ibrahimi confirms the importance of not involving the direct superior in the interview. "This approach allows the resigning employee to express themselves freely, something they cannot do normally for fear of being misunderstood or judged. This is essential if we want the interview to lead to interesting things."
In any case, the interview should not turn into a settling of scores. A business leader recounts being shocked by the harsh criticism an employee made of her. "She was a model employee. I thought she wanted to leave us for a better situation.
But no! During an interview to which I had invited her, she reproached me for my bad temper and explained that she could no longer bear my constant harassment." The surprise effect should not lead the manager to make mistakes. It is nevertheless a matter of controlling one's emotions, without betraying one's disappointment, even if the collaborator is a good asset.
It is necessary to ensure the handover between the departing employee and his successor
Generally, the manager is faced with two scenarios. In the first, he does not want to let the resigning employee go. The interview will precisely make it possible to discover the levers on which to work. Does he want to leave for a better salary? Try as much as possible to grant him a raise, a bonus or benefits in kind. Just as one can also consider a promotion if one cannot increase the salary. However, Mr. El Ibrahimi advises not to open this door to everyone, knowing that there are those who aim for a salary increase by brandishing the threat of resignation. "It is during interviews that everything must be defined," he advises.
If it is a relational problem, the manager must plan to reorganize the collaborator's tasks so that he does not have to work with difficult people. Second scenario: the departure is an opportunity for the manager to get rid of a troublesome element. However, discretion must be shown and the collaborator must be shown that the decision is his. If the separation is effective, it must be done smoothly. The manager must ensure, preferably within a short period, the effective transmission of information, files, contacts and know-how of the resigning employee to his replacement or, failing that, to the rest of the team.
Negotiating the notice period, the duration of which is most often determined by labor law or by the employment contract, can prove decisive in managing this transition period.
But be careful! In most cases, the employment contract provides for a notice period of a certain duration, often limited to two months.
It may also include a non-compete clause, which means that it is not possible for the departing employee to join a company that carries out similar activity. These legal provisions must be well managed to avoid any problems. It must be emphasized that the courts rarely rule in favor of employers in the event of a dispute.
Another important point: the manager must make the collaborator's departure public. Poorly managed communication can destabilize the team. Why is such a colleague leaving? Who will replace him? Ideally, this should be announced during daily or weekly meetings.
Finally, if it is a pillar or a veteran of the company, a farewell ceremony would be welcome, generally in an informal setting or in the presence of all the staff. An opportunity to pay tribute to him and to show him that his departure will not affect the relationships. No hard feelings!
Brahim Habriche
Posted online on September 1, 2008
lavieeco.com
